Calendar device for office and other clocks



June 29, 1954 F, HAUSER CALENDAR DEVICE FOR OFFICE AND OTHER CLOCKS Filed May 2, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 29, 1954 F. HAusER 2,682,145

CALENDAR DEVICE FOR OFFICE AND OTHER CLOCKS Filed May 2, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. fn-man1 #4g/ffl? Patented June 29, 1954 CALENDAR DEVICE FOR OFFICE AND OTHER CLOCKS Friedrich Hauser, Bad Durrheim, Germany, as-

signor to Wurttembergische Uhrenfabrik Burk Sohne, Schwennigen (Neckar), Germany Application May 2, 1951, Serial No. 224,129 Claims priority, application Germany June 3, 1950 9 Claims.

The present invention relates to a calendar device for office and other clocks.

Such calendar devices are known in combination with clocks, in which case the calendar device has its own driving force which is merely controlled by the works of the clock, or it is necessary to equip the clock with a very great driving force in order to provide the driving means for the calendar device.

It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a calendar device which requires such small driving force that it is possible to connect it to a conventional clock, by example, to an electrically driven clock.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a calendar device which is equipped with a gear drive operated in correct timely relation by the works of the clock and which gear drive windsup a drive for the calendar device and at intervals of twenty-four hours each releases a step-wise movement of a drum for the days of the week and of a number band carrying the date of the month.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a calendar device which is equipped with a drum carrying the days of the week and a number band carrying the date of the month and in which the daily movements wind up slowly an auxiliary force which is adapted to bring about the return movement of the number band and which is released at each change of the month in such manner that the number band returns in one single move to its original position by means of the auxiliary force, at the same time stepping forward the drum carrying the month.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a calendar device which is equipped with a number band carrying the dates of the month and a drum carrying the months of the year in which the return movement of the number band is controlled by a rack-gear which moves in one direction simultaneously with the daily shift of the device for the same length and which abuts against a month-disk and brings about a swinging movement of the latter, this swinging movement being used for the control of a coupling between a driving element and a number band pulley, so thatthe auxiliary force may bring about the return movement of the number band, until the simultaneously returning rackgear reaches its original position and, thereby, puts again the driving force into operation.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a calendar devicewhich is equipped with a month-disk which has an exchangeable cam for the month of February, which cam is lowered in the leap year, so that a rack-gear meshes one day `later than the other years and postpones operation for one day.

It is still a further object of the present invention to providel a calendar device in which the main driving force comprises a draw-spring, the inner end of which is secured to a timely correct rotating drive-wheel, while the otherend of the draw-spring is secured to a coupling-disk of the drive-shaft, ythe latter carrying a onetoothed locking disk in such manner that it is adapted to cooperate with two oppositely disposed and apart permanently secured ratchet pawls.

It is also a further object of the present invention to provide a calendar device which permits of a power saving effect by providing a coupling between the drive-shaft and the number band pulley which coupling has two one-sided inclined claws, in order to permit of swinging over the position of the number band pulley determined by the ratchet pawls under the inuence of the drive-spring, thereby releasing for a moment completely the coupling and bringing about the monthly return movement of the number band with the least force.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent in the following detailed description, the present invention will be clearly understood in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the calendar device, the housing being removed;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the control mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the drive coupling for the drum carrying the months of the year, and

Fig, 4 is a fragmentary top view of the driving mechanism,

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 4, the driving mechanism for the step-wise drive of the calendar device comprises a drive-gear l which is freely rotatable on the drive-shaft 2, which drivegear l meshes a gear 3 driven by a clockwork (not shown) in such timed relation that the drive-gear l makes one revolution in forty-eight hours. A' spring 4 is secured with its inner end to the hub of the drive-gear I while the outer end of the draw-spring 4 is secured to a pin 5 of a coupling-disk 6. The latter is keyed to the drive-shaft 2. The drive-shaft 2 projects through a supporting plate 'l and carries a locking disk ,8

which is disposed above the supporting plate 1. Two pawls 3 and Il! are secured to the supporting plate 1 and disposed 180 apart, which pawls lock the locking disk 8 alternately. Each of the pawis 9 and IIJ is esuipped for this purpose with a lifting pin I I which extends through the supporting plate 1 and thus is disposed within the path of a lifting cam I2` of the drive-gear I. After each half revolution of the drive-gear I,

that means after each time interval of twentyl four hours, the locking pawl, by example, pawl 9 (Fig. Ll), is lifted, so that the locking disk 8v and thereby the drive-shaft 2 rotate by means of the draw-spring 4 until the other pawl contacts the locking disk and locks the latter.

A clutch-coupling I3, which operates in one direction only, is secured tothe drive-shaft 2. The upper half I4 of the clutch-coupling I3 is movable in axial direction and is coupled to the drive-shaft 2 by means of a cross-pin I5 extending therefrom. Thelower half I6 of the clutch-coupling I3 is secured to a `pulley I1 which is freely rotatable on the drive-shaft 2. The two coupling halves I4 and I6 are locked to each other by means of two teeth 38 which are inclined in a direction opposite to the force of the draw-spring 4 and, therefore, provide a coupling in the other direction only.

A bevelled gear 20 is secured to the couplingdisk 5 and disposed on the drive-shaft 2 below such disk, which bevelled gear 20 meshes with a second bevelled gear 2 I. The latter drives over a gear-drive 22 a drum 23, on which the seven days of the week are marked, in such manner that upon a half revolution of the drive-shaft 2, the drum 23 makes a one-seventh of a complete revolution.

A second pulley I8 is disposed on the other side of the calendar device opposite to the mentioned pulley I1. The respective ends of a number band IB are secured to the pulleys I1 and i8. The number band carries the numbers 1 to 31, indicating the days of the month, starting with l next to the pulley I1. Thenumber band I@ is rolled in such manner that it runs always stretched between the pulleys I1 and I8. It rolls off one pulley at the same time asy it is wound cn the other pulley.

Another bevelled gear 24 is, connected directly to the pulley I8, which bevelled gear 24 drives a shaft 23 by means of a bevelled gear 25 meshing the gear 24, a gear-drive 26 and finally, a gear 21. An auxiliary draw-spring 29 is disposed on the shaft 28, the outer end of the spring ils being secured to a vertical supporting `plate 39, while its inner end isv secured to the shaft 28, so that the spring is wound up slowly by means of the shaft 28. This auxiliary spring force operates thus over the number band I3 contrary to the force of the draw-spring 4, without overwinding the latter. By this arrangement the number band I9 will always be in stretched position between the pulleys I1 and IB.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a drive 3I with a one-toothed locking disk 32 is rotatablymounted on the shaft 28 adjacent the gear 21. A pawl 33 secured to the gear 21 cooperates with the locking disk 32, so that upon rotation of the shaft 28 under the force of the auxiliary drawspring 29 in the direction of the arrow 34 (Fig. 3), the drive 3I is coupled and, thereby, a drum 3&5 carrying the months of the year is moved for one-twelfth of an entire revolution by means of a gear-drive 35.

During this movement the pulley I8 is driven by means of the force of the auxiliary drawspring 29 over the drive 21, 23, 25 and 24, so that the number band I9 is wound up on the pulley I8 and Wound ofi' the pulley I1.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a control mechanism is provided outside of the supporting plate 31 in order to control the just described movement. This control mechanism comprises a rack-gear 4I which is operated by a drive 40 of the shaft 28 and in particular, during the daily shifting movements a small step in downward direction and during the monthly return movement in one single step in upward direction. The rack-gear 4I cooperates with a months-step cam-disk 42 1: which is mounted on a swing arm 44 pivoted upon a drive-shaft 43. The steps of the monthsstep cam-disk 42 are in correspondence with the different number of days (30, 3I, 28 and 29, respectively) of each month of different height (Fig. 2). The step 45 for the month of February is of variable height by means of a'movable cam 46. The latter` is supported under spring pressure by a cam-shaft 41 which makes one revolution in four years and a flat portion 48` of the shaft 41 is the support for the cam 45 in each fourth year, so that it is at that time one step lower than in the remaining three years. The months-step cam disk 42 makes one complete revolution within one year and correspondingly is moved one step forward upon the monthly shifting movement of the drum 36 by means of a drive 49 and further, by means of a gear-drive Eil which is mounted on the swing arm 44 at the ratio 1:1. The cam-shaft 41l for the February cam 4t is driven at a ratio of 4:1 from the geardrive 53 over a reduction gear 5I.

A cross-pin 52 of the rack-gear 4I abuts the months-step cam disk 42 during the downward l movement of the rack-gear 4| sooner or later, depending upon the height of the cam of the cam disk 42 operative at the particular moment. In Fig. 2 is shown the June cam 53 which is reached by the cross-pin 52 of the rack-gear 4I one day earlier than the adjacent cams 54 and 55, respectively, for the corresponding months of May and July. The next day shift, that means the next downward movement of the rack-gear 4I, conveys a small downward swing movement to the months-step cam disk 42. A rod 5B pivoted to the swing arm 44 pulls thereby a catch 51 outwardly so that an angle-lever 59 which is under pressure of the helical spring 58 loses its support on the catch 51. A connecting, rod 6I) is pivotally connected to the angle-lever 59 at one end and to a one-armed lever 6I at its other end. The latter transfers its movement across the frame of the calendar device to a couplingshift fork 63 (Fig, l) by means of a shaft 62, which shift fork 63 cooperates in conventional manner with the axially movable upper half I4 of the coupling I3 disposed, on the drive-shaft 2'.

The power of the helical spring 58 driving the linkage arrangement 59, G, 6I, 62 and B3 is preferably of such small size that the said linkage arrangement remains at first in its original position even after removal of the` catch 51 and starts operation only after complete discharge ofv the one-sided operating clutch-coupling I3. This takes place only when the pulley I1` has received at the end of the day shift so much surplusage by the draw-spring 4, that the lower coupling half l5 connected with the pulley Il' swings over and, thereby, the pressure of the coupling claws `is completely eliminated for a very short moment. Then only the upper coupling half. I4. maybe moved axially with the small `force of the helical spring 58, `so that thereturn movement, as describedy above, may start under the influence of the` auxiliary draw-spring 29.

The rack-gear 4I carries near its upper end a member''ll. This member 64' abuts during the return movement of the rack-gear 4l 'against a set-screw 65 secured to the angle-lever 59, moves the latter and returns it to its original position (Fig. `2), where the angle-levert!! is locked by means of the catch 51 under the influence of a helical spring 66 which pulls the rod 56 and the months-step cam-disk 42 in upward direction. During the return movement of the angle-lever 59 the coupling-shift fork 63 closes also the clutchcoupling I3, so that the pulley Il is again coupled to the drive-gear I to B and the return movement terminated.

It is apparent that the described calendar device may be effectively operated in accordance with the present invention with a very small driving force, because the long intervals between the daily and monthly calendar shifts may be used to great advantage for accumulation of power for the short time shifting movements. In this matter it is possible to attach to the conventional clocks, particularly to desk, oilice and other large clocks also, a calendar device.

While I have described oneembodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that this embodiment is given by example only and not in a limiting sense, the scope of the present invention being determined by the objects and the claims.

I claim:

1. In a calendar device for office and similar clocks with automatic indication of the day of the week, the day of the month and of the month, a. frame, a rst windable power source, a drum indicating the days of the week rotatably mounted on said frame, a band indicating the days of the month, a pair of pulleys rotatably disposed in parallel arrangement on opposite sides of the device and receiving the ends of said band and adapted to wind said band from one of said pulleys to the other, a drive winding up said iirst power source gradually when operatively disconnected from the said drum and from the said pair of pulleys, means for releasing said power source for intermittent movement of said drum and of one of the said pulleys in timely intervals of twenty-four hours, a second windable power source operative in a direction contrary to that of the said first power source, means for Winding up said second power source by the said intermittent movements of said drum and said band through the said iirst power source, said second power source being adapted to perform the return movement of said band from one pulley to the other in one single step and to maintain the said band in stretched position, a second drum indicating the months of the year, means for releasing the said second power source and means responsive to the said releasing mea-ns for permitting return of the said band to its original position and for moving said second drum to indicate the next month.

2. The calendar device, as set forth in claim 1, in which said means for returning said band to its original position includes a drive train operable by said second power source and includes further means for disconnecting one of the said pulleys from the said rst power source, thereby rendering operative said second power source and permitting the return movement of the said band lto itsvoriginal position, in' order to indicateagain' the `number flfof said band.

3.Y The calendar device, as set vforth in `claim 2, in whichl .said4 drive comprises substantially a rack-gearin operative connection with the gear means for thedaily ,shifting of the days of the Week andthe days of the month and a monthsdisk having twelve stepsvat, its circumference of vdiilerent he ight,','said steps ofthe months-disk beingl adapted/to receive one end of said rackgear'QasWin'g'able arm, said months-disk being rotatably mounted on the latter so that the latter performs a swing movement upon abutment of the end of said rack-gear on one of the steps of the months-disk, a coupling between the said rst power source and the first pulley, and linkage means for controlling said coupling, said linkage means being operated by the swing movement of said months-disk.

4. The calendar device, as set forth in claim 3, which includes means for adjusting the height of the said step for the month of February on the said months-disk, which means comprises a camshaft turning at the ratio of 1:4 compared with the ratio of said months-disk, so that upon four complete revolutions of said months-disk the February step thereof will receive said rack-gear one day later and thereby startl the return movement of the number band and the shifting of the second drum one day retarded.

5. The calendar device, as set forth in claim 4, which includes a gear-drive for timed rotation of said months-disk and for said cam-shaft and in which said drive for said months-disk together with the latter and the drive for said cam-shaft is carried by said swing arm.

6. The calendar device, as set forth in claim 3, in which said linkage means includes an anglelever, a catch and spring means pressing said angle-lever to said catch, and additional linkage means operated by the swing movement of said months-disk to release said angle-lever from the catch, a shifting fork connected with said anglelever, said shifting fork controlling the coupling between said windable power source and the rst pulley, so that upon turning said angle-lever under spring pressure said shifting fork disconnects said first power source from said rst pulley, said rack-gear upon returning to its original position forcing said angle-lever into its original position and retaining same by said catch. f

'7. The calendar device, as set forth in claim 1, in which said means for moving said second drum comprises a drive and a ratchet included in the said drive so that the said second drum moves forward for one-twelfth of a complete revolution during the return movement of said band.

8. The calendar device, as set forth in claim 1, in which said drive comprises a main-shaft, a drive-gear rotatably mounted on said main-shaft, a draw-spring the inner end of which is secured to said drive-shaft, a coupling disk keyed to the latter, the outer end of said draw-spring being secured tosaid coupling disk, and a locking disk keyed to said drive-shaft,y said locking disk having one tooth, two ratchets disposed apart around said locking disk, one of said ratchets locking said locking disk, a cam disposed on said drive-gear adapted to lift alternately said ratchets from said locking disk, so that the driveshaft performs a half revolution upon lifting of said ratchet from the locking disk under the force of said draw-spring until the next ratchet enters said tooth of the locking disk.

9. The calendar device, as set forth in claim 8,

which includes. a coupling disposed between said drive-shaft and one.- of` said; pulleys. the latter having two teeth inclined in one direction, thereby permittingl rotation of said pulley under the force of said draw-spring beyond the locking position of said drive-shaft determined by said ratchets when said pulley is turning in one direction, thereby releasing momentarily the coupling and permitting the monthly return movement of. said band by exerting a small torce.

References cited in the me of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Weisser Jan. 28V, 1879 Sparkes Dec. 2,r 1947 Farr May 17, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Mar. 27, 1924 

